In a statement, Simon (of course) says he is “delighted” with this “Beauties and the Brit” foursome (as Fox is billing it), adding, “It just feels like the time to do something different.”

Rowland’s credits include the UK version of X Factor, while the Mexico City-born Rubio has judged La Voz México (aka Mexico’s The Voice) and Telemundo’s La Voz Kids.

“I am very excited to be reuniting with Simon Cowell and the X Factor family,” Rowland said. “It feels great to be able to take this journey here at home in the States!” Rubio meanwhile quipped: “Simon, be careful what you wish for. Let’s see if you are ready to handle me, empieza la fiesta, amigo!”

I’m sorry, but can we please pick strong female figures? I like Kelly fine, but as a judge on the UK X-Factor, she was more of a Paula than a Demi. Apart from Nicki Minaj (who’s totally checked out most of the time), there haven’t been many “tell it like it is” women judging singing competitions. It’s like they’re expected to be a certain way. And, I’m sorry, but Simon Cowell is pretty damn sexist, and him rolling his eyes at Kelly’s every comment will enrage me.

YOu need someone who is not a current singer for that role. Thats why they shouldve gotten some behind the scenes music industry people with experience and with personality and no qualms about saying it like they mean it. Singers who are still singing and trying to sell albums need fans. They have images to protect. They need to be seen as nice and friendly so they can get that endorsement contract for makeup or diet plans or a fragrance. So they dont want to come across as mean or critical. Think about it? Even on the Voice, you almost never hear anything bad…Any negative critique is couched in so much fluff, you dont even hear it.

You want prolific? Look at what Idol did to Kara Dioguardi. She is an accomplished songwriter, producer, Warner Brothers music executive, singer and a BEAST. She is exactly what the show needed. Except that everyone hated Kara Dioguardi even though she was repeatedly the voice of reason during her two seasons of Idol and during her second season she was the only one that actually contradicted Simon.

I heard today that was what Simon wanted to and both Randy and Paula were totally on board with the idea too, but FOX shut it down. I think it might’ve actually been a good thing though; too bad the FOX people were so against it.

I’m okay with Kelly, mainly from seeing her on the UK version – back then I thought that she and Nicole would’ve been better off switching places anyway so to me, she’ll probably work just fine. I’m not familiar with Paulina Rubio though and I would venture many people aren’t so I don’t know how well she will work or what she will bring to the panel but she certainly doesn’t make it exciting. While I applaud them for finally breaking the unwritten rule that men have to equal if not outnumber women on judging panels like this, I kind of find it a bit weird and oddly creepy that the one man on the panel is Simon with three women who are varying ages but all younger than him and given his persona, it just looks like Simon and his harem. FOX billing it “beauties and the Brit” only fuels that feeling…

Agree. And if the 3 women start to have catty fights as Nicki and Mariah did on Idol–what’s the point watching X-Factor?! It already sounds doomed to failure. I think one of the reasons the judging panel works so well on The Voice is because there’s 3 dudes and 1 woman and they all seem to get along really well. It seems like the more desperate Fox gets, the more stupid they get.

I dont know if that is true. Paula and Simon on S1 didnt work – and people have been complaining about wanting Randy off Idol for years. He has added nothing but given the same commentary year after year after year. They probably didnt screen test these people AGAIN but at least FOX was able to get a preview of what the judges would be like and probably both these women together are making less than Britney did. Kelly did the UK and Paulina The VOice (go look on ytoube – the few clips I saw she did seem to have some personality and spontaneity…)…I did laugh at the press release where there was a quote of Rubio about how she loves the X Factor blah blah and she loves it so much shes been doing The Voice. They cant be worse than Britney

It’s completely true. Fox was test marketing the idea of reuniting Randy, Paula and Simon with Demi on X Factor last week. Apparently, many people polled overreacted negatively to the idea of the original AI 3 being reunited and Fox went with plan B. This choice of judges is the death rattle of this show. Reuniting Randy, Paula and Simon might’ve breathed life into the series. If I were Fox, I’d offer Simon whatever he wants to return to Idol and dump X Factor completely and just offer 1 singing show i.e. Idol with Simon back in the chair.

I’m sorry but all of you who are saying Paulina Rubio is going to make this boring well you are all wrong .You guys should hear some of her songs on Youtube and then start judging her. Paulina is going to make this “The X Factor” awesome. And paulina don’t worry I’ll always be on you’re side. Voy a estar contigo y te voy a apoyar “La chica adorada” y yo AMO tus canciones! So anyways for all of you , you should get to know someone before you start to judge them.

Because they were relatively expensive. Given that this is likely the last season of XFUSA, meaning no more contestant trips to France (remember that in season 1?) so they have some B and C listers that work for reasonable money.

I think this is Simon’s way of fulfilling his contractual obligation to FOX and not burning any bridges on the way out. His new effort is on that weird youtube-idol thing he so creepily promo-ed a few months ago, his failing at making the hot new singing show will now be portrayed as boredom in the genre.

Simon should be off the panel HEs not the same Simon of Idol Season 1 and the bottom line is people are sick of his schtick. Hes also the executive producer and it doesnt seem fair that the EP of a show is also a judge with interaction with contestants. I want to see how much they copy the Voice from having live Tweets during the show to showing more mentoring etc. Im not looking forward to the XF S3 at all. I wish it would just go away. Im surprised Fox didnt make it just once a week

I was actually super pumped when there were rumors of Hilary Duff being a potential judge. I know she’s not really relevant right now or known for her music career, but I just like her and I think she’s smart even though her book was ridiculous. I mean if they aren’t really bothering with getting industry insiders they might as well have someone interesting and entertaining. Also, there has to be at least one person auditioning with the name Paulo and I would die

Not really. She’s a judge on the Mexican version of the Voice and also on the US Spanish broadcaster Telemundo’s upcoming kids version. So they at least have her on tape and can see what kind of ‘judge’ she is – how she interacted with the other coaches, her spontaeity, her mentoring contestants. Thats more than they had with any other judge. You think if they had screen tested Britney and made her sit in a room and judge some taped auditions, they would have spent all that money? Plus Hispanics are the largest growing minority group. Especially mexicans…so if you get someone whose popular with that audience, maybe theyll watch.

Well, maybe it’s better than paying out for a Britney or Mariah, who are just going to sit there, but … meh. Is Fox really getting behind this, or just letting the contract die out so they can bring Simon back to Idol?

TVLINE, find out what kind of contract FOX has with XF. Its not usual for a network to commit to x number of years for a new reality show…2 is usually the most. The bottom line is these shows still do ok compared to how expensive scripted programming is –

Agree! Gosh she is horrible singer & person. And super irrelevant in the US, I think they are going for the Latin artist but it only makes sense when that Latin artist has actually made it in the American market

Everyone else Voice and Idol have strong female STARS. X factor gets the next best thing in Kelly. And I imagine to fulfill the “Latin” requirement, that’s why Paulina is joining. I like some of her songs but not sure how she will do.

X factor sucks. They need to ditch the big stage, overbearing audience, and get some ppl we actually want to watch on the panel.

I think we might be in for a surprise come September when the show airs. I know Kelly can bring the fun and realness that the show need, just go on YouTube and watch X factor 2011 clips of her. And I think Paulina can become a huge fan favoret if she brings the Latina spice that Americans love, maybe Mario will help bring that out in her.

Yeah 20 million albums from an artist with longevity who has already proven herself as a Voice coach. How random. No more random than others they picked. Who even knew who Randy Jackson was a decade ago? Shakira was pretty random…Its not like she was having hit singles currently. Give her a chance and we’ll see.

I really do not care who they have because I never thought this show was good. The whole concept does not work for me. If I were looking to be a serious artist with maybe a little shot of making it I would go on American Idol. What these show seem to forget it should be about the contestant not the judges. I hope AI goes with one musical artist and the other two producers or radio personality no other stars who want to further their career.

I am not excited about these new judges AT ALL. I have never even heard of Paulina. Not sure I will tune it even though I love Simon. I think he has made a mistake in not getting bigger names/more seasoned artists.

I wonder why people are so negative, we all knew keith urban , nicki minaj and mariah carey but didn’t they all fall short somehow? So for me am really excited that the new judges are not super divas.the less famous and big they are the more they try to impress.and the women in question have done this before. I think they deserve a chance to work!instead of backlashing!!!

Can we just all move to the larger argument and elephant in the room? Perhaps these shows aren’t doing so well anymore because the market is over saturated and there is also no need to invest in them since most of the “winners” fade into obscurity faster than they ascended into fame.

Hope contestants are being judge on their vocals and how they deliver the song, not their nerves, nor their looks, nor being belittled by opposite judges. Hope the judges take their job seriously and not hurt the contestants feelings nor be bickering each other, embarrassing us by such stupidities. Now, if judging is taken seriously and with much do respect, then the judges will concentrate in coaching the contestant and not be thinking of bickering each other. A judge owns the respect by respecting others. Let the show be what America wants to see, a contestant truly being judge for their vocal talents and becoming the next American XFactor by whatever whatever judge.